A known seat slide apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed in JPH11-321393A (which will be hereinafter referred to as Reference 1). The seat slide apparatus disclosed in Reference 1 includes a pair of slide rails parallel to each other in a width direction of a seat for the vehicle and a pair of stoppers provided at the pair of slide rails. Each of the slide rails includes an upper rail and a lower rail. Each of the stoppers is generally in a locked state so as to prevent a movement of the upper rail relative to the lower rail. The locked state of the stopper is released at the same time as when a control bar substantially having a U-shape is pulled upwardly so that an operation force thereof is transmitted to the stopper. Accordingly, a position of the seat is adjustable relative to a floor of the vehicle (i.e., a vehicle floor). The control bar is connected via both end portions thereof to the respective stoppers.
In addition, according to the aforementioned seat slide apparatus disclosed in Reference 1, a slider provided at one of the slide rails (i.e., a first slide rail) moves rearward by an exterior cable that is pulled in association with a forward folding of a seatback of the seat. As a result, the locked state of the stopper provided at the first slide rail is released. Further, a link rotating in association with the rearward movement of the slider is supported at the first slide rail. One end of a connection bar that extends in the width direction of the seat is integrally fixed to the link. The other end of the connection bar is integrally fixed to a lever rotatably supported by the other of the slide rails (i.e., a second slide rail). Because of the rotation of the connection bar via the link in association with the rearward movement of the slider, the lever releases the locked state of the stopper provided at the second slide rail. Accordingly, the locked states of both the stoppers provided at the first and second slide rails respectively are released at the same time in association with the forward folding of the seatback of the seat, thereby achieving the movement of the seat to a foremost position relative to the vehicle floor.
According to the seat slide apparatus disclosed in Reference 1, the connection bar and a surrounding structure thereof may be necessary so as to move both the stoppers at the same time in association with the forward folding of the seat back, which may lead to an increase of the number of components.
A need thus exists for a seat slide apparatus for a vehicle which is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.